Zalgiris vs Astana Prediction 13 July 2016

17:50 12.07.16

Zalgiris take on visitors from Kazakhstan Astana in the first leg of Champions League qualifying matchup. The game will be played in Vilnius on Wednesday, July 13th.

Zalgiris won Lithuanian League in 2015 and continue showing nice results this season as well. The team is currently second in the standings with 35 points and 33-13 goal difference after 16 matches. The team is on eight-match unbeaten run in official matches since May 4th, including six wins and two draws. The team shows confident results in home matches, avoiding defeats in last 17 games at own stadium since the end of September last year and recording 12 wins and five draws in these matches.

Astana are the leading team of Kazakhstan, current champions and the leader of the season. Astana have gained 50 points in 20 matches with 32-11 goal difference. The visiting side is 10 points ahead of second team in the league Kairat. Astana played 11 matches on the road in 2016, taking eight wins, one draw and two defeats.

The opponents haven’t faced one another before. Lithuanian football clubs were never competitive in eurocups and always get relegated from early stages of eurocups. Astana, in turn, played in the group stage of Champions League last season and they would want to advance for the same stage once again. Kazakh side have much bigger potential and they are definitely able to clinch the place in the next stage in away leg.